Almond Butter Cookies

Chock full of almonds and almond butter in a bite is what I wanted in a cookie.  These Almond Butter Cookies are made in a jiffy for tea. As I was clearing the refrigerator, I found half a bottle of almond butter that will head towards the bin next month. As usual, I was browsing through my bake books for a recipe that I can use up the almond butter. Finally, I found Dorie Greenspan’s Peanut butter crisscrosses. This recipe came to form by tweaking the original one. And I sprinkled colored sugar. Cute! ain’t it? When PR returned home, I offered these for tea and he gave me that ‘Are you kidding?’ look. Well, I know colored sugar is mostly for kids but WTH? I like cookies with colored or regular sugar. The taste is what matters and this one is a winner! The day I baked these almondies was a RAINY day in San Jose. We hardly had sun light for an hour or so. This is the best picture I could shoot with my mobile instagram.

Makes 24 cookies (3 inch each)

1 ¼ cup All purpose flour

½ cup Almond butter, crunchy or smooth * I used smooth.

½ cup Unsalted butter

½ cup Brown sugar

6 tbsp Granulated sugar

1 Egg

¾ cup Almonds, chopped *Roasted and unpeeled/peeled

¼ tsp Baking soda

¼  tsp Salt

A pinch of Nutmeg or Cinnamon *Optional

¼ cup Colored or regular sugar, for rolling

Method

• Pre heat oven to 350° F. Mix all the dry ingredients in a bowl and keep aside.
• Beat butter with the paddle attachment of the stand mixer for 2 mins or until creamy and smooth.
• Add almond butter and beat for 2 mins. Stir in the sugar and continue beating for 3 mins.
• Add the egg, beat for another min. Now add the dry ingredients slowly only until they are combined.
• Mix in the chopped almonds. Now you’ll have a soft, pliable dough.
• Put the colored sugar into a small bowl.
• Roll the cookie dough between your palms into small balls. Drop the dough balls into the sugar to coat them.
• Place them on the baking sheet, leaving 2 inches between them.  Now gently press the coated dough ball with the back of a teaspoon to flatten the dough.
• Bake for 15 mins rotating the sheet 180 degree angle midway point. When done the cookies will be lightly colored and bit soft. It becomes crunchy upon cooling.
• Sit the cookies on the sheet for a couple of mins before transferring to a cooling rack. Cool to room temperature.
• Wrapped well, store them in a cookie jar for up to 3 days.